Anhedonia as a Core Symptom of Depression and a Construct for Biological Research

Anhedonia is a key psychiatric symptom that has seen significant advances in its understanding in both clinical practice and research over the past few decades. Once considered primarily a feature of depression, recent studies have shown that anhedonia is also a core element of other psychiatric disorders and contributes to considerable morbidity, mortality, and suicidality. Emerging models of psychopathology and illness emphasize the transdiagnostic relevance of anhedonia. At the same time, neuroimaging research has provided deeper insights into its underlying pathophysiology, and several assessment scales with strong psychometric properties have been developed. Various treatment strategies-including psychopharmacology, neuromodulation, and psychotherapy-have demonstrated varying degrees of effectiveness. This review discusses the evolving understanding of anhedonia, its significance as both a symptom and a diagnostic marker, its prevalence, and its pathophysiological underpinnings. Additionally, the authors provide an overview of key assessment tools and explore the range of treatment approaches studied to date.